Hair styling and beauty station and loading assembly

ABSTRACT

A portable hair styling and beauty station for providing hair care and beauty services is provided. The hair styling and beauty station comprises a base wall, a first side wall secured to the base wall, a second side wall secured to the base wall, and a top wall secured to the first side wall and the second side wall. A mirror is also provided. A mirror receiving mechanism holds the mirror on the top wall. A mirror storing mechanism stores the mirror between the base wall and the top wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a hair styling and beauty stationand loading assembly and, more particularly, the invention relates to ahair styling and beauty station which can be easily loaded and unloadedonto the loading assembly for transporting and storing the hair stylingand beauty station.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Portable hair styling stations are known in the art. For instance, theLamia, U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,632, describes a mobile salon work station.The work station of the Lamia patent includes a frame assembly and workareas equally spaced thereabout having mirrored surfaces, storagecompartments, swing out shelves, overhead retractable electrical reels,and an overhead accessory holder. Unfortunately, many problems existwhich does not allow the Lamia patent's work station to be easilytransported and stored.

For instance, the work station of the Lamia patent is quite complicatedand can not be easily transported from one location to the next withouta high risk of damaging all or part of the work station. It does notappear that the work station is easily collapsible without substantiallydismantling the work station. In addition, the mirrors are leftunprotected during transportation and storage thereby greatly increasingthe risk of breakage. Furthermore, the small wheels on the work stationdo not allow the work station to move easily over thresholds and roughterrain.

Currently, work stations, if transportation is desired or necessary, areloaded in and out of a vehicle by manually tipping the work stationagainst the bed of the vehicle then using physical effort to balance,lift, and the slide the work station into the vehicle's cargo area. Thisprocedure is physically difficult, burdensome, and could potentiallycause injury to the person loading the work station.

To this end, loading assemblies which maintain an object being loadedand maintained in a horizontal position are known in the art. Forinstance, the Carpenter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,695, describes a hydraulicwheelchair lift for a van-type vehicle. The-wheelchair lift of theCarpenter patent has a pivotable frame which can be swung from within towithout the vehicle, a slide frame telescopically movable relative tothe swing frame, and a wheelchair supporting platform carried at thelower end of the slide frame. The Carpenter patent, however,-fails todescribe a loading assembly which maintains an object in a horizontalposition when loaded and moves to a vertical position when unloaded.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a fair styling and beauty stationwhich can be easily transported from one location to the next without ahigh risk of damaging all or part of the hair styling and beautystation. Additionally, a need exists for a loading. assembly whichmaintains an object in a substantially horizontal position when loadedand moves to a vertical position when unloaded. Furthermore, thereexists a need for a combined hair styling and beauty station and loadingassembly which operates together to transport and store the hair stylingand beauty station.

SUMMARY

The present invention is a portable hair styling and beauty station forproviding hair care and beauty services. The hair styling and beautystation comprises a base wall, a first side wall secured to the basewall, a second side wall secured to the base wall, and a top wallsecured to the first side wall and the second side wall. A mirror isalso provided. A mirror receiving mechanism holds the mirror on the topwall. A mirror storing mechanism stores the mirror between the base walland the top wall.

In addition, the present invention includes a work station receivablewithin a vehicle. The work station comprises a base platform and atleast two side supporting walls secured to the base platform. A topplatform is secured to the supporting walls with the base platform, thesupporting walls, and the top platform creating an opening wheels aremounted to the base platform. A mirror is removably positionable in andextending from the top platform. A mirror retention means is formed inthe opening for retaining the mirror within the opening when the workstation is in the horizontal and vertical position.

The present invention further includes, in combination, a portable hairstyling and beauty station and a loading assembly securable to a vehiclewith the hair styling and beauty station securable to the loadingassembly wherein the loading assembly loads the hair styling and beautystation from an unloaded vertical position to a loaded substantiallyhorizontal position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front side view illustrating-a hair styling and beautystation, constructed in accordance with the present invention;.

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the hair styling and beauty stationof FIG. 1, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the hair styling and beautystation of FIG. 1, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a loading assembly,constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the hairstyling and beauty station in a loaded position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the loading assembly of FIG.4, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the hairstyling and beauty station in a loaded position and a tilt trackextended;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the loading assembly of FIG.4, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the hairstyling and beauty station on the tilt track;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the loading assembly of FIG. 4constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the hairstyling and beauty station in an unloaded position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly base of theloading assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an elevational side view illustrating the assembly base of theloading assembly of FIG. 8, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is a left perspective view of a support arm of the assembly baseof the loading assembly, constructed in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 is a right perspective view of the support arm of the assemblybase of the loading assembly of FIG. 10, constructed in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a tilt rack of the loading assembly,constructed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a top view of the tilt rack of the loading assembly of FIG.12, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the present invention is a hair styling andbeauty station, indicated generally at 10. The hair styling and beautystation 10 provides a portable work station for performing hair stylingand beauty to clients at any desired location.

The hair and beauty station 10 of the present invention includes a baseplate 12, a first side wall 14 secured to the base plate 12, a secondside wall 16 secured to the base plate 12, and a top plate 18. Wheels 20mounted to the base plate 12 allow the hair styling and beauty station10 to move with ease to any desired location. Attaching the wheels 20,especially pneumatic wheels, to the hair styling and beauty station 10provide easy movement over thresholds and different rough surfacesincluding snow, gravel, rough pavement, carpet, etc.

The hair styling and beauty station 10 further includes a mirror 22releasably mountable to the top plate 18. The-mirror 22 is receivablewithin a slot (not shown) on the top plate 18 of the hair styling andbeauty station 10. The mirror 22 can be removed from the top plate 18and inserted into a pocket 24 formed on either the first side wall 14 orthe second side wall 16. Furthermore, the mirror 22 has reflectivesurfaces on both sides allowing two stylists to work on opposite sidesof the hair styling and beauty station 10 at the same time.

The hair styling and beauty station 10 of the present invention furtherincludes bumpers 26 mounted on the first and second side walls 14, 16,and the top plate 18. The bumpers 26 reduce the risk of damaging thehair styling and beauty station 10 and other property. Positioning ofthe bumpers 26 along the sides and/or edges of the hair styling andbeauty station 10 is also within the scope of the present invention.

The hair styling and beauty station 10 provides power used in thehairstyling and ; beauty industry. To this end, the hair styling andbeauty station 10 can be connected to a power source. GFI outlets 28 onthe hair styling and beauty station 10 provide electrical plugs for hairstyling and beauty equipment (not shown) while reducing risks to thestylist and clients.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4-13, the present invention further includes aloading assembly 30 for transporting the hair styling and beauty station10. The loading assembly allows the hair styling and beauty station 10to be loaded into and unloaded from a vehicle (not shown). It should benoted that the loading assembly 30 has and will be described herein asloading and unloading the hair styling and beauty station 10. It iswithin the scope of the present invention to use the loading assembly 30to load and unload any type of equipment or station which moves from aloaded substantially horizontal position to an unloaded verticalposition.

The loading assembly 30 of the present invention includes an assemblybase 3 mountable to the vehicle, a tilt rack 34 pivotally mounted to theassembly base 32, and a podium rack 36 slidable along the assembly base32 and the tilt rack 34. The loading assembly 30 incorporates a latch toretain the slides in the closed position to secure the hair styling andbeauty station 10 during transport. The hair styling and beauty stationI 0 is secured to the loading assembly 30 by straps, a latching buckleor other connecting mechanism (not shown), and multiple supportingframework integrated into the loading assembly 30.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the assembly base 32 of theloading assembly 30 of the present invention includes a frame 38 mountedto the vehicle. The frame 38 includes a first rail 40 and a second rail42 substantially opposite and parallel to the first rail 40. Preferably,the first rail 40 and the second rail 42 are angled downward allowingthe podium rack 36 to roll down the rails 40, 42, as will be describedin further detail below.

A winch 44 is mounted to the frame 38 for raising hair styling andbeauty station 10 into the vehicle, as will be described in more detailbelow. The winch 44 also controls the lowering of the hair styling andbeauty station 10. A cable (not shown) extends from the winch 44 over aroller 46 to a loop 62 (see FIGS. 12 and 13) on the podium rack 36 forraising and lowering the hair styling and beauty station 10, asdescribed in more detail below.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the assembly base 32 furtherincludes a pair of support arms 48 each having a first end 50 and asecond end 52. The first ends .50 of the support arms 48 are hingedlyconnected to the frame 38. The second ends 52 of the support arms 48 arehingedly connected to the tilt rack 34.

Referring back to FIGS. 4 and 5, the tilt rack 34 of the loadingassembly 30 of the present invention includes a first rail 54 and asecond rail 56 substantially opposite and parallel to the first rail 54.When unloading the hair styling and beauty station 10 from the vehicle,the tilt rack 34 rotates about the pivot points of the support arms 48aligning the first rail 54 of the tilt rack 34 with the first rail 40 ofthe frame 38 of the assembly base 30 and aligning the second rail 56 ofthe tilt rack 34 with the second rail 42 of the frame 38 of the assemblybase 30.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the podium rack 36 of theloading assembly 30 of the present invention includes a support frame 58for supporting the hair styling and beauty station 10 during loading andunloading. Wheels 60 on the Support frame 58 allow the podium rack 36 tofollow and move along the first rails 40, 54 of the assembly base 32 andthe tilt rack 34, respectively, and the second rails 42. 56 of theassembly base 32 and the tilt rack 34, respectively.

Operation of the loading assembly 30 of the present invention in loadingand unloading the hair styling and beauty station 10 will now bedescribed. It will be understood by those persons skilled in theart-that the loading and unloading can be accomplished in a variety ofmanners and the description herein below is only one such manner.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, prior to unloading the hair styling and beautystation 10, the hair styling and beauty station 10 is in a substantiallyhorizontal position releasably secured to the podium rack 36 of theloading assembly 30. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the tilt rack 34 of theloading assembly 30 rotates, either manually or automatically, in agenerally downward direction to align the first rails 40, 54 and thesecond rails 42, 56. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the podium rack 36travels down the first rails 40, 54 and the second rails 52, 56. Asillustrated in FIG. 7, the tilt rack 34 and the podium rack 36 rotate toposition the hair styling and beauty station 10 in a substantiallyvertical position. While gravity causes the podium rack to move alongthe first rails 40, 54 and the second rails 52, 56, the winch 44controls the rate of descent of the podium rack 36. The straps securingthe hair styling and beauty station 10 to the loading assembly 30 arethen removed or otherwise loosened and the hair styling and beautystation 10 is rolled off of the podium rack 36 to a desired location.

To load the hair styling and beauty station 10 onto the loading assembly30, the hair styling and beauty station 10 is rolled onto the podiumrack 36. The straps are then tightened about the hair styling and beautystation 10 to releasably secure the hair styling and beauty station 20to the podium rack 36. The winch 44 is then activated to urge the podiumrack 36 vertically toward the base assembly 32 by rotating the tilt rack34 and aligning the first rails 40, 54 and the second rails 42, 56 ofthe assembly base 32 and the tilt rack 34, respectively. The podium rack36 travels along the first rails 40. 54 and the second rails 52, 56until the podium rack 36 rests in a substantially horizontal position onthe base assembly 32. The tilt rack 34 is then rotated back against thepodium rack 36. The hair styling and beauty station 10 is now in asubstantially horizontal position.

The loading assembly 30 of the present invention provides an easy methodof loading the hair styling and beauty station 10 into and unloading thehair styling and beauty station 10 from a vehicle inhibiting risk to theuser. The loading assembly 30 loads the hair styling and beauty station10 from a vertical position to a substantially horizontal position andsecuring it in the vehicle.

The loading assembly 30 reduces the risk of harm to the user's vehiclein case of an accident or due to lifting of the hair styling and beautystation 10. The loading assembly also reduces the risk to property andto the hair styling and beauty station 10 itself. The loading assembly30 is easy to use for all users and can be operated by a single userwithout lifting or straining. The loading assembly 30 is bolted orotherwise firmly secured to the vehicle.

Other aspects of the loading assembly are as follows:

-   -   1) The loading assembly 30 is constructed to accommodate a        vehicle bed height of between approximately twenty-four (24)        inches and approximately thirty-one (31) inches, although        constructing the loading assembly 30 to accommodate other        vehicle bed heights is within the scope of the present        invention;    -   2) The loading assembly 30 is secured to the vehicle bed with        bolts or other attachment mechanisms;    -   3) The tilting mechanism of the loading assembly 30 reduces the        loading effort such that the hair styling and beauty station 10        passes a loading test where the operation is completed using the        effort of two fingers;    -   4) Mechanical stops on the loading assembly 30 inhibits the hair        styling and beauty station 10 from tipping unless the slides or        rails are fully extended;    -   5) A mechanical cam on the loading assembly 30 inhibits the        slides from retracting unless the hair styling and beauty        station 10 is tilted in the full back position; and    -   6) The hair styling and beauty station 10 is attached to the        loading assembly 10 by rolling the hair styling and beauty        station 10 directly against the framework of the loading        assembly 30, then securing the hair styling and beauty station        10 using a cinch-type strap and buckle with pull release similar        to a seatbelt.

The hair styling and beauty station 10 and loading assembly of thepresent invention decreases the effort and burden of manually loadingthe hair styling and beauty station 10 while removing the necessity tobalance and support the hair styling and beauty station 10 when slidingthe hair styling and beauty station 10 into a vehicle.

The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferredembodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawingsand described in detail, with varying modifications and alternativeembodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown,described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled inthe art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made thereinwithout departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, andthat the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to theclaims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention asdisclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of thespecific elements which are disclosed herein.

1. A portable hair styling and beauty station for providing hair careand beauty services, the hair styling and beauty station comprising: abase wall; a first side wall secured to the base wall; a second sidewall secured to the base wall; a top wall secured to the first side walland the second side wall; a mirror; mirror receiving means for holdingthe mirror on the top wall; and mirror storing means for storing themirror between the base-wall and the top wall.
 2. The hair styling andbeauty station of claim 1 wherein the mirror has reflective surfaces onat least two sides.
 3. The hair styling and beauty station of claim 1wherein the mirror receiving means is a slot formed in the top wall. 4.The hair styling and beauty station of claim 1 wherein the mirrorstoring means is a pocket affixed to either the first side wall or thesecond side wall.
 5. The hair styling and beauty station of claim 1 andfurther comprising: wheels secured to the base wall.
 6. The hair stylingand beauty station of claim 1 and further comprising: at least onebumper secured to either the first side wall or the second side wall. 7.The hair styling and beauty station of claim 1 and further comprising:at least one bumper secured to the first side wall; at least one bumpersecured to the second side wall; and at least one bumper secured to thetop plate.
 8. The hair styling and beauty station of claim I and furthercomprising: an electrical outlet mounted on either the first side wallor the second side wall.
 9. The hair styling and beauty station of claim8 wherein the electrical outlet is a GFI outlet.
 10. In combination: aportable hair styling and beauty station; and a loading assemblysecurable to a vehicle, the hair styling and beauty station securable tothe loading assembly; wherein the loading assembly loads the hairstyling and beauty station from an unloaded vertical position to aloaded substantially horizontal position.
 11. The combination of claim Iwherein the loading assembly includes an assembly base secured to thevehicle, a tilt rack pivotally connected to the assembly base, and apodium rack slidable along the assembly base and the tilt rack, the hairstyling and beauty station receivable on the podium rack.
 12. A workstation receivable within a vehicle, the work station comprising: a baseplatform; at least two side supporting walls secured to the baseplatform; a top platform secured to the supporting walls, the baseplatform, the supporting walls, and the top platform creating anopening; wheels mounted to the base platform; a mirror removablypositionable in and extending from the top platform; and mirrorretention means formed in the opening for retaining the mirror withinthe opening when the work station is in the horizontal and verticalposition.
 13. The work station of claim 12 wherein the mirror hasreflective surfaces on at least two sides.
 14. The work station of claim12 wherein the mirror is positionable within a slot formed in the topplatform.
 15. The work station of claim 12 wherein the mirror retentionmeans is a pocket affixed to either of the supporting walls.
 16. Thework station of claim 12 wherein the wheels are pneumatic.
 17. The workstation of claim 12 and further comprising: at least one bumper securedto either of the supporting walls.
 18. The work station of claim 12 andfurther comprising: at least one bumper secured to both of thesupporting walls; and at least one bumper secured to the top plate. 19.The work station of claim 12 and further comprising: an electricaloutlet mounted on either of the supporting walls.
 20. The work stationof claim 19 wherein the electrical outlet is a GFI outlet.